Yang Qiu has a unique vision for Albatross Ceramic – to make pieces from things you wouldn’t usually make ceramics out of. This has led her to create molds from all sorts of fruits and vegetables, and adorning them with other elements to give them even more personality.
The genesis of Albatross Ceramic
Yang’s journey into the world of ceramics began during her university days, where she experimented with various forms of clay work, from throwing to hand-building. However, it was mold-making that truly captivated her. “I really love to transform something that you don’t think can be in ceramic, but I can just use plaster mold to transform them into ceramic,” Yang reflects. “I think that’s really amazing.”
A lot of Yang’s process has been self-taught through a lot of trial and error. “For example, at the beginning, I didn’t know how many legs to make for my work,” says Yang. “I just learned from time and failure to figure out how many legs I should make for this.”
The creative process
Yang’s creative process is both meticulous and spontaneous. She starts by exploring Asian grocery markets and farmers’ markets to find fruits and vegetables that intrigue her. “I will start to look for a lot of different vegetables and fruits… and then I will make a mold,” she explains. Once the plaster mold is ready, Yang slip casts the clay and then decides how to proceed based on the shape that emerges.
Her work is characterised by a combination of slip casting and hand-building, where she adds elements like mushrooms or legs to her creations. The process can vary in time; for instance, a corn bust might take up to five hours due to the detailed hand-painting involved, whereas a smaller piece like a dancing lychee might only take an hour. “It depends on the size of the work,” Yang notes, emphasising the labor-intensive nature of her craft.
Preparing for markets
Yang mostly sells her works at markets, and she’ll be exhibiting at the 2024 Sydney Ceramics Market. Here she plans to focus on larger, more complicated sculptures. “Last year I sold a lot of big works, I think it’s a good market to sell my big works,” she says, with the markets attracting people who love ceramics and are willing to spend big on them.
The role of technology in Yang’s business
Technology allows Yang to not only make sales, but understand how well she does at each market. Yang relies on Square’s suite of tools to manage her sales efficiently. “When I forgot my Square Reader, I will use Tap to Pay on Android on my Samsung phone in the market for the payment,” she shares. This flexibility ensures that she never misses a sale, even when technical glitches occur.
Moreover, Yang uses the Square app to monitor her sales performance daily. “During the market, I will check my Square report every day to see my sales if it’s good or not, which is very helpful,” she explains. This real-time insight allows her to make informed decisions about which markets to participate in and how to optimise her sales strategy.
Like no other
There’s really nothing else like what Yang is making. With her unique vision, Yang continues to inspire and captivate art lovers and collectors alike.
